unlike the rest of the fiscal cliff, which affects tax rates that will play next year, the patch applies to the return that we will all have to file early next year. so if there is not congressional action here, there is an abrupt increase in tax on the 2012 taxable year in 20 of 11 approximately 4 million people paid the amt. if there's not a patch, 30 million people will be required to pay the amt in 2012 for the current taxable year and they will pay an additional $90 billion in tax. very few of them have any idea. >> host: is the irs prepared? >> guest: the irs took a fairly unusual -- but i think correct position. they took the position that congress will do the responsible name. so they did their tax program for next year, for the 2012 return, assuming congress would enact the patch before the end. i think that was a reasonable thing to do because i believe they will do that. however, it does mean if there is not a patch, the tax return idling season next year would be quite chaotic. >> host: john buckley is our guest and we talk about the alternative minimum tax as part of the ove